The Coffey Files: One Cop's War Against the Mob

A former New York City cop describes his position commanding a special unit dedicated to solving Mafia murders, describing how his unit solved more than eighty mob murders and sent hundreds of mobsters to prison. National ad/promo.

Coffey is one tough cop, dedicated and competent. But he's also given to posturing and self-righteousness, at least as depicted by Schmetterer, crime reporter for the New York Daily News . The former New York City police officer (coauthor of The Vatican Connection ) has had a notable career, which involved him with the 1977 Son of Sam serial killings; with the Mafia, as head of a unit dubbed the Coffey Gang; with the Cosa Nostra's "Ruling Commission," as member of a U.S. Attorney squad. Piecing together his cases taxes the reader of this disorganized memoir, however, for we're told so many tales within tales as to lose the thread of the major stories. They variously have to do with organized crime, a Manhattan gang called the Westies, an evening as security guard that had Coffey dancing with first lady Nancy Reagan, four days protecting Joe Frazier before the 1971 heavyweight championship bout with Muhammad Ali. But there's lots of excitement here, if readers are patient enough to plod through the underbrush. Coffey, who retired from the NYPD in 1985 in "great bitterness" after accusations of corruption (he was cleared), is now principal investigator of the New York State Organized Crime Task Force. Photos not seen by PW .
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Absorbing roundup of an ace NYPD detective's big cases. Here, written with the help of veteran journalist Schmetterer, is Coffey's view of what it was like to guard Joe Frazier from death threats before his first fight with Ali; to struggle to capture Croatian nationalists who bombed La Guardia (one cop killed) and hijacked a TWA flight to Paris; and to supervise the team trying desperately to nab Son of Sam before he killed again. In 1978, Coffey was named head of N.Y.C.'s first organized-crime squad--but ``let the vermin destroy the vermin'' was the department's view, and Coffey was told his squad would be in existence only 30 days: It was formed as a favor to Mayor Koch, who wanted the public outcry against shootings on city streets appeased. But after Coffey solved two big mob cases, the squad was made permanent and Coffey went after the Westies, an Irish gang operating out of Hell's Kitchen and considered by the detective the ``most vicious mad-dog killers in the city.'' Coffey discovered what no had suspected--an Italian-Irish connection: The Mafia was hiring the Westies to do strong-arm jobs and contract killings. Coffey barged into the Ravenite Social Club and demanded to see ``Big Paulie'' Castellano, then the elderly and dignified capo di tutti capi. Five button men playing poker stared at the crazy cop in disbelief, but a sit- down was arranged. Exciting scenarios, all--but although well written and packed with detail, the book shortchanges its characters, many of whom are only names. And Coffey is shown as a two-dimensional macho man, with a few squibs on his wife and kids thrown in for sympathy. Still: new information on big cases, revelations on NYPD interdepartmental politics, and a rogues' gallery of coldblooded hit men and devious madmen: cop watchers are going to like this, despite its flaws. (Photographs--not seen.) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.